This one just didn't work well for me. Corinth, it seems that you were trying to explain how systems of magical thinking have their origins where superstition intersects with developing knowledge.

To some extent, I think that your description does an injustice to those who labored to bring meaning from ignorance. Mankind seeks patterns and tries to understand how things relate to each other: It's in our nature. When one has little solid information, apparent patterns may deceive us.

My problem with this essay is its assumption that we have evolved past our foolish ancestors, when we actually seem just as prone to error. It is true that our advanced knowledge makes us wiser? Go to Comment

...But, before that, (in Geoffery of Monmouth) Arthur's sword was named Caliburnus.

Not all the sources agree that Excalibur was the same blade as the Sword in the Stone. Later sources claim that the Lady of the Lake gave it to Arthur, suggesting that it was a different sword altogether.

(Of course, the scabbard's magic was much more valuable than the sword itself, a lesson to all of us: The things we treasure are often less precious than the things we take for granted every day.) Go to Comment

True - and good point - those patterns turn up alot in fantasy rpgs, the orientation of the planes, the interaction of the key elements; but thats part of what I'm trying to say, that we take what we know and add it to what we suspect or believe, but we always forget to carry the one... And as for moser day society being any wiser (chuckle), we now have the capacity for even greater stupidity, and we have all sorts of people that are educated beyond their intelligence to prove it! Go to Comment

He can expect a full rivalry from Ananda, the Arch-Mage of Style (inserts suitable finger-snaps)

I'm not really sure aobut this sumbission though. The item is a bit vague, a belt of thief proof extra-dimensional pockets, but it seems rushed. Auggie seems like an interesting chap and I look forward to reading about him. Go to Comment

Like the others, I want more about the ever-stylish Augustus Sardius Rex III! The extradimensional pockets themselves aren't as interesting as their creator. While some more information about the capabilities and limitations of the pockets would be good, I'd like to see them lead off a scroll of fashionable magical apparel. After all, why should today's adventurers be deprived of Everclean material and Dragon Proof (tm) robes? Go to Comment

It is a bit rushed, I rediscovered an old stack of ideas and characters (covered with Dust of Sneezing and Choking) and decided to post a few before midnight. Pockets can only hold what can fit into it sideways, but the extradimensional area can be of any shape (think of it as a pair of jeans with the pocket cut out, you could fit a slim shotgun, but you'd be hard pressed to fit a laptop). Objects in the pocket have no weight, but the opening into the extradimensional space disappears in antimagic zones as if it had been sealed. Go to Comment

Unfortunately, this item is very simple - to be specific in D&D it is a 'Knock' spell on a key, and so needs more then it's powers to distinguish itself. The affect on a game is to eliminate a major role of certain player types/skills. It definately needs some limitations as it stands.

I've said in the past it is okay for the history of the item to be unknown in game, but the real history of the item still needs to be there, even only as a GM resource. The history need not describe it's use when created, but should include how it was created, by whom, and why.

One suggestion: if it were a special mineral-based life form that could sense the required shape to match a mechanical lock, morph to that shape and open it, this could be very useful - it may not require 'magic' at all to function.

I think this needs to be placed back 'in work' and other items reviewed for what is expected of posts. I think it has potential with work so I'm holding off voting for now. Go to Comment